1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an imaging apparatus and image signal generating apparatus suitable for use in image sensors such as an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image sensors such as Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) have widely been used in devices and instruments such as digital still cameras, mobile telephone terminals, and endoscopes. Some of these apparatuses incorporate so-called camera modules such as image sensors and analog front end (AFE) chips each formed as a circuit. The camera modules are usually located at a distance from a microcomputer that controls components of the apparatus incorporating the camera modules.
The devices and instruments having the camera modules usually has a long transmission line connecting between the camera modules and the microcomputer, and when all the instruction signals and data are transmitted simultaneously via the transmission line, a large amount of signals are transmitted via the transmission line, thereby causing extraneous emission noises to occur in the transmission line.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2005-536167 discloses a digital host apparatus having camera modules that includes a processor specific to the camera modules other than a processor for the digital host apparatus. In the digital host apparatus according to this publication, the processor utilized specific to the camera modules is provided on the camera module side.